Mojtaba Rashvand: “Saddam” is a Parody of a Ridiculous Historical Claim; Reza Attaran Refused to Play Saddam Even for One Scene
According to cinemadrame news agency, Mojtaba Rashvand, a cinema producer whose film “Saddam” is currently screening in Iranian cinemas, commented on the film’s release conditions: “Our expectations for the screening of ‘Saddam‘ have been met to some extent, but there are certain factors that have caused some dissatisfaction, and I believe that without these issues, the film’s sales would certainly have been higher.”
Rashvand clarified: “I think the increase in ticket prices has affected film screenings, leading fewer audiences to go to the cinema, and this naturally impacted the sales of ‘Saddam.’ Another point is the numerous closures that occurred during the film’s screening period, and repeated cinema shutdowns were another damage inflicted upon the film’s release. During this time, the SAMFA website was also out of service several times, and all these issues disrupted the flow and rhythm of ‘Saddam’s‘ screening. However, overall, I must say that I am satisfied with the film’s sales so far, and fortunately, audiences continue to welcome it.”
In response to a question about which historical reality and Saddam’s character “Saddam” satirizes, the producer said: “The screenplay of this work is based on a ridiculous historical claim made by Saddam, who claimed he would soon interview reporters in Tehran. Just as history laughed at this dictator, we also laugh at him in this film. In fact, ‘Saddam‘ is a parody of Saddam’s absurd claim that he would be in Tehran in seven days. But the Iranian people showed how they stand firm against foreign aggression in historical events and remain united, not allowing such audacious acts against our country to go unanswered.”
He added: “One of the misconceptions that arose before the film’s release was the claim that Reza Attaran played the role of Saddam. But the truth is that due to his hatred for Saddam and the fact that this character is one of history’s greatest criminals, he refused to play Saddam even for a single scene. In a part of the film, we also see Saddam making his claim, and in that scene, we had to use another actor because Attaran insisted he would never appear in the role of this dictator. In this film, he plays Saddam’s double, and this double is also an individual who does not betray his country.”
Regarding the changes in the cinematic release version compared to the festival version, Rashvand stated: “The atmosphere was different during the festival, and we presented a version for that event. But afterward, we decided to slightly modify the film for theatrical release. The film was shortened a bit, and its structure was better adapted to the rules of cinematic release in Iran. We also added some sections that increased the film’s comedic load, and at the same time, the filmmaker’s intended content can be felt more within it.”
The producer further emphasized: “In my opinion, ‘Saddam‘ is not a political comedy; rather, it can be considered a romantic comedy that perhaps originated from a political pretext and contains political undertones and hints, but I view this film primarily as a romantic comedy. In this work, the audience accompanies a man who is in love and tries to stand by his love in all circumstances.”
Rashvand noted: “The screenplay for ‘Saddam‘ was written from the beginning with Reza Attaran in mind for the role. In fact, from the outset, it was planned for this actor to play Saddam’s double, and if he hadn’t been available, ‘Saddam‘ would never have been made. Certainly, Reza Attaran’s facial features were also one of the factors we considered, because filming had to be completed in a short time, and his face allowed us to spend less time on makeup. But beyond all these issues, Reza Attaran’s ability to play the main role in a comedy film and, in fact, carry the comedic burden of the work, was also important to us, because another actor might have had a more suitable face for the role but might not have been able to pull off the performance. Fortunately, it seems that people also like Reza Attaran in this film and have connected with his character.”
The producer of the film “Souvenir of the South” concluded by saying: “I thank the entire production team of the film ‘Saddam‘ and ask people to support cinema by watching films in theaters and also to watch non-comedy films there. Today, it is necessary for us to make every effort to protect cinema, and we should not harm the medium of cinema by competing with each other, because damage to cinema is detrimental to all of us. We must speak very cautiously about competition in cinema and be mindful not to harm our country’s valuable cinema.” /ILNA
